“It was always going to take time. There is rebuilding going on year after year here, and we will continue to try to do that.

“I just keep doing the job because I know that we’re doing the right job. We’ll do the same things, we’ll make sure things are right - prepare the players well and things will change I have no doubt.

“The supporters have been fantastic. That’s why the right clubs, pick the right managers and the right managers pick the right clubs. You pick clubs where you know is the right place for you.

“That’s why I always hoped and dreamed that Manchester United would come for me - and they did in the end.”

United are 21 points worse off than they were at this stage last season, with Moyes finding it difficult to offer an explanation for the remarkable regression under him.

“The improvement in the teams in the Premier League has been big,” said the Scot. “There have been a lot of improvements from sides in the Premier League and obviously we’ve not done as well as we did last year.

“I think there are certain different reasons for it, I don’t think there’s any particular one. I think there’s a combination of different things - the change of manager being one of them. But lots of other things as well.

“We’re trying to see how our results have not been as good as they have been. They should be, and we will continue to look at that. There’s no one person or one thing [to blame]. There are several different things that we’ll look to change or alter, but there’s no one thing.

“I think the players are doing great. I think I’ve got a great group of players. I’m very fortunate I took over the champions and I think the players have been terrific.”

Keane, who fell out with Fergie when he left Old Trafford under a cloud in 2005, “They’ve kind of cut corners in terms of transfers in the last few years, they’ve not gone out and got the big players, and it’s just caught up with them this year.”